340 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



when days are lengthening and sunshine lias 

 power, is the wisest. They grow with the 

 days, and have the summer to romp through 

 and grow big and strong before the leaves fall. 

 It is a mistaken policy that of exposing to 

 risks under the intention of hardening. We 

 must remember that the Persian cat is an 

 exotic, and that the present system of breeding 

 for coat and show points does not tend to 

 make the race hardier ; on the contrary, 

 probably the constitution is more delicate than 

 in its native country, imported cats invariably 

 boasting a vigour and hardihood that our 

 pedigree specimens sadly lack. It is not cold 

 that injures ; frost and snow can be borne by 

 grown-up Persians with impunity, and even 

 enjoyment. It is the damp that kills, and 

 upon consideration we shall see that this is 

 largely a question of coat. 



Look at your English sleekly groomed puss 

 as she comes leaping across some dewy field in 

 the early morning, pressing through a thick, 

 wet hedge. She gives herself a shake ; examine 

 her fur : not a dewdrop has adhered, hardly 

 are her pads damp. Now pick up your 

 Persian gentleman who has taken a slight 

 hunting stroll through the same ground : his 

 stomach fur is soaked, clinging like wet linen 

 to him ; his " knickerbockers " are disreput- 

 able, his frill clammy ; and it will take him 

 a good hour to get himself clean and respect- 

 able once more. The soft woolly under-coat 

 of the Persian holds water like a sponge, where 

 the close short coat of the British cat shakes 

 it off as from duck's feathers. This is the true 

 secret of the delicacy of the Persian. So in 

 rearing kittens, let your first care be, avoid 

 damp. 



A sick kitten generally forgets its manners, 

 however carefully it has been trained to the 

 use of the dry earth or sawdust box ; it seems 

 to feel too bad to care how it behaves, so due 

 allowance must be made at the time ; but in 

 health, cleanly behaviour must be insisted upon 

 from the time they begin to trot about their 

 nursery. Begin by placing a very shallow 

 tray of nice dry fine earth in one or two corners 

 that the kittens seem to have a predilection 



for ; it may even be necessary to put them 

 in all four corners for a little while to convince 

 some obstinate or dullard member of the 

 family. 



A cat's confidence is harder to win than a 

 dog's, but once you have gained it the animal 

 will trust you implicitly, and will bear pain or 

 nasty dosing at your hands without resentment. 

 I think kittens should be handled from early 

 days. I do not advocate a valuable kitten 

 being sent up to a humar nursery, to be 

 hugged flat or carried head downwards by the 

 too-adoring occupants ; but kittens should be 

 thoroughly accustomed to human society and 

 to being picked up, caressed, and handled. 

 It will make their subsequent show career tar 

 less of a terror, and greatly augment their 

 chances of success ; and in the case of all 

 male cats, whether for stud or neuter, it is very 

 convenient to train them to walk on a lead. 

 Begin by using a light ribbon, and two kittens 

 led together on separate leads will come more 

 willingly than one. The first lessons in walks 

 might terminate at the feeding dish, so that 

 the kits would quickly associate this new 

 form of exercise with something to eat. 



It sometimes happens that young kittens 

 are too early bereft of maternal care from some 

 cause or other. Mr. A. Ward, of Manchester, 

 has invented an artificial foster-mother (see 

 page 343). This consists of a glass vessel 

 covered with flannel, and having indiarubber 

 teats. This is filled with warm milk and 

 water, and the kittens help themselves ! 



It is only of comparatively recent date 

 that any serious attention has been given to 

 the successful breeding of Persian kittens. 



A demand has arisen for animals that 

 approach perfection, according to a recognised 

 standard of points, and it may not be un- 

 profitable to devote a few pages to the con- 

 sideration of how these can be best obtained. 



Formerly a long-haired cat was not much 

 thought of unless he really deserved his name, 

 but nowadays coat is rather at a discount on 

 the show bench. 



Points, points, points colour of eyes, colour 

 of coat, shape, expression, and what not 



